P19M marijuana torched in Benguet

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – More than P19 million worth of marijuana plants were torched anew last Dec. 4 in two Benguet towns, authorities said.

Valued at P19,152,000 million, the illegal plants were uprooted and burned on-site during a four-day eradication operation by joint forces of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera and the Cordillera police.

The seizure included 90,910 full-grown cannabis plants, 11,250 cannabis seedlings and 40 kilograms of cannabis dried leaves in at least 31 different cultivation sites.

Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong said the plantation sites included Sitios Ka-ang and Agay-ay, both in Barangay Kayapa, Bakun, Benguet; Sitios Cawa, Pul-ag, Naptong and Proper of Barangay Badeo; and Sitios Bagiw, Lingey and Napitak of Barangay Tacadang, all in Kibungan, Benguet.